Not currently on display at the V&A

untitled

Photograph
2000/2001 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The quiet melodrama of Henson's photographs, and in particular his handling of light to create a transcendent effect, suggests a contemporary reworking of the Sublime, Symbolism and the images of Old Master painters such as Caravaggio. In Henson's work, dramatic chiaroscuro effects conjure seemingly supernatural or haunting events that are emotionally charged. His Untitled series of 1998-2003 combines scenes of brooding adolescents with landscape views on the periphery of towns. Isolation and dislocation are common themes. In this no-man's land, meanings, morals and behaviours shift and the figures on the cusp of adulthood symbolise a state of transition.


Object details

Category
Object type
Titleuntitled (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
C-type print
Brief description
Colour photograph by Bill Henson depicting a girl floating.
Physical description
Colour photograph depicting a girl floating.
Dimensions
  • Height: 127cm
  • Length: 180cm
  • Framed height: 1350mm
  • Framed width: 1840mm
  • Framed depth: 36mm
Copy number
artist's proof
Credit line
Purchased through the generosity of Michael and Jane Wilson
Summary
The quiet melodrama of Henson's photographs, and in particular his handling of light to create a transcendent effect, suggests a contemporary reworking of the Sublime, Symbolism and the images of Old Master painters such as Caravaggio. In Henson's work, dramatic chiaroscuro effects conjure seemingly supernatural or haunting events that are emotionally charged. His Untitled series of 1998-2003 combines scenes of brooding adolescents with landscape views on the periphery of towns. Isolation and dislocation are common themes. In this no-man's land, meanings, morals and behaviours shift and the figures on the cusp of adulthood symbolise a state of transition.
Bibliographic reference
Nothing in the World but Youth Margate: Turner Contemporary, 2011. ISBN: 9780955236334.
Collection
Accession number
E.37-2007

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Record createdJune 29, 2009
Record URL
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